Guard for highway line marks



M y 1951 H. L. MARTIN 2,551,846

GUARD FOR HIGHWAY LINE MARKS Filed Aug. 4, 1949 Z'mventor HARRY L. M14RTIN Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUARD FOR HIGHWAYLINE MARKS Harry L. Martin, Somerset, Pa.

Application August 4, 1949, Serial N 0. 108,573

1 Claim.

This invention relates to guards designed and intended to be temporarilypositioned at spaced intervals across a freshly painted line mark,separating highway trafiic lanes, for the obvious purpose of divertingthe traffic from the painted line mark until the latter is set and dryand will not be ruined or obliterated by contact by motor vehiclewheels.

Important objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a linemark guard of the character described, which is sufficiently formidableand menacing in appearance to discourage the average motorist fromdriving his vehicle across same, which is constructed of soft flexiblerubber and therefore cannot be damaged by contact with motor vehicles,which will immediately resume its normal shape regardless of anydistortion imposed thereon by contact with a vehicle, which embodiesnovel means for minimizing the liability of shifting from its properlylocated guarding position when struck by a passing vehicle, and whichmay be positioned and adjusted on a freshly painted line mark, orremoved from the latter, without disturbing or smearing the line markand without smearing the guard itself with paint.

Further objects of the invention are to pro vide a device of the classstated, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, durable andefiicient in its use, compact, light in weight, convenientlymanipulated, and comparatively economical in its manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction,combination, and arrangement of parts herein specifically described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it is to be understood thatchanges in the form, proportions and details of construction may beresorted to that come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a line mark guard constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Figures 4 and. 5 are side elevational views of modified forms of guards.

Referring in detail to the drawing the improved line mark guard is anintegral unitary structure which may be constructed of any suitablematerial, preferably molded from soft flexible rubber.

The guard comprises an oblong, rectangularlyshaped, flat base I, the topof which preferably tapers toward the side and end edges thereof tolessen the weight and augment the flexibility of the structure.

A generally fiat upright member 2 is disposed vertically edgewise alongthe longitudinal center of the base i and has its ends spaced aconsiderable distance and. equi-distant from respective ends of thebase. The upper portion of the upright member is bifurcated by a deep,substantially V-shaped recess 3 to form a pair of similar,

vertically projecting ears, respectively indicated at 4 and 5, which aretapered to reduce and sharpen the free upper ends 6 thereof.

The base I and the upright member 2, including the ears 1 and 5, arereenforced and stabilized by two pairs of side ribs, respectivelyindicated at l and 8, and by a pair of end ribs, respectively indicatedat 8 and ID. The pair of side ribs 1 are disposed at one side of theupright member 2 and extend from the upper ends 6, of respective ears 4and 5, to and laterally along the top of the base to the side edge ofthe latter. The pair of side ribs 8 are similarly disposed and arrangedat the other side of the upright member.

The pair of end ribs 9 and II! are disposed at respective ends of theupright member 2 and extend from the upper ends 6, of respective ears 4and 5, to and along the longitudinal center of the base I to respectiveend edges of the latter.

The bottom side of the base I is provided with a plurality of dependingsupporting studs 1 i having pointed free ends. The supporting studs arearranged in two spaced, transversely aligned rows, with the supportingstuds of each of the rows being approximately under respective ends ofthe upright member 2.

The base I is provided with a plurality of large ventilating holes [2,which are arranged in two longitudinally extending rows disposed atrespective sides of the upright member 2. The ventilating holes allowthe passage of air and sunlight therethrough to thereby expedite thedrying of the paint on the line mark area that is disposed directlybeneath the guard.

In practice, a plurality of the improved guards are placed, at properlyspaced intervals, to extend in the longitudinal direction transverselyacross the freshly painted line mark. It will here be noted that, underordinary conditions and care, only the pointed tip of the supportingstuds I I will come in actual contact with the wet paint on the trafiicline mark. As the base is spaced from the roadway by the supportingstuds, the improved guard may be shifted, adjusted, and readjusted on awet line mark without liability of smearing the latter or besmearing theguard structure. Further, due to the elevated position of the base I,the device is readily adaptable for engagement by a suitable gatheringmechanism employed for collecting the guards after the trafiic line markhas properly set and dried.

The improved guard is colored or painted to render same readilydiscernible to a passing motorist, and preferably to give the device anappearance simulating metal or some other indurate material.

The improved guard is calculated to deceive the casual observer intoassuming that damage or other untoward conditions may result by contactwith the device, and thereby discourage carclessness and protect thefreshly painted trafiic line mark until the latter is dry.

If a vehicle is driven across the improved guard, the latter, due to itsflexibility and inherent resiliency, will simply be distorted and flatlycompressed only while the vehicle wheel is travelling over same, afterwhich the device will at once resume its normal shape without any damagethereto.

Due to the disclosed construction of the guard, the liability of thedevice being tossed away from its placed position on the line mark isreduced to a minimum, even if struck a glancing blow by contact with thevehicle wheel, as the device will simply collapse totally or in partwhen any considerable weight is imposed thereon.

The modified form of guard, shown in Figure 4, difiers from the guardabove-described, only in that a ball [3 is carried at the upper end ofeach of the ears 4 and 5, and a centrally disposed ball I4 is providedon the top of each end of the base. The balls l3 and I4 serve tofacilitate the manipulation of the device when placing and collectingthe latter.

The modification, illustrated in Figure 5, comprises a base I5 providedwith a centrally disposed upright member IS in the form of a hollow conetopped by a ball H. The base is provided with reenforcing ribs 18 andwith supporting studs I9.

The present invention provides a most durable and eificient device ofits kind, which may be cheaply manufactured, and conveniently andsuccessfully employed for the purpose and in the manner herein setforth.

What I claim is:

A highway line mark guard molded in an in tegral unit of rubber,comprising an oblong rectangularly-shaped base, a longitudinallyextending flat upright member disposed on the longitudinal center ofsaid base and having the ends thereof spaced a considerable distancefrom respective ends of said base, the upper portion of said memberbeing recessed to form a pair of spaced vertically projecting ears,reenforcing elements joined with said member and with said base forstabilizing said member and said base, and a plurality of supportingstuds depending from the bottom of said base for supporting the latterin spaced relation to the surface of the hi hway- HARRY L. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,208,080 Overdorff July 16, 19402,333,273 Scanlon Nov. 2, 1943

